Branches and Trickery
by Shibhon
Summary: Kel is out for a peaceful ride in the country. As she approaches the fateful branch, she has no idea what influence it will have on the outcome of her day. KD


Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this fic. All characters and places belong to Tamora Pierce. However, I do own a branch, about half a dozen grass stalks, and a charming cherry tree.  
  
Branches and Trickery  
  
Keladry of Mindelan gave a whisper to Peachblossom, speeding up to a trot. They were making their way along a pretty woodland path. It was long forgotten by most, but all who found it made sure to return. The trees all seemed greener, the water more clear, even the birds sang sweeter along the path.  
  
They came to a section with many protruding roots and Kel slowed her mount to a walk once more. Her eyes drank in her surroundings. It amazed her that something as beautiful as this could be in the same world as the horror of war, disease, and famine.  
  
Then she spotted a cherry tree in full bloom, just off to the right of the path. She'd never seen one so perfectly formed. Birds fluttered about it, chasing each other about in the morning sun. Kel felt an undescribable need to go and see it up close.  
  
She dismounted and walked purposefully into the woods toward the tree. Dead leaves and needles crackled under her boots as she walked. For a moment she thought she heard another set of boots behind her, but when she looked, there wasn't a soul in sight. She shrugged and kept walking.  
  
There was a large, whippy branch ahead of her at stomach level that she couldn't seem to get around. Carefully, so as not to let it escape from her grasp, she pushed it back and stepped past it. Then she heard the crunch of another's feet again and a man's voice right behind her.  
  
"Kel-"  
  
Surprised, Kel gasped and let the branch go. It snapped back and hit the man full in the face, knocking him off his feet. Her hands flew to her mouth.  
  
Quickly she ducked under the still swinging branch and crawled toward the victim. He opened his eyes and stared up at her. "Is that the way you greet your friends, Kel?" he said weakly. It was Domitan of Masbolle. His dark hair was swept back from his face, revealing his bright blue eyes, shaped eyebrows, and long nose. Also, a new addition to his handsome features, a long cut along his left cheekbone.  
  
Kel gasped again. "Oh, Dom! I'm so sorry! You surprised me!" She took her handkerchief from her boot and dabbed at the blood. He blinked and groaned, striving to sit up.  
  
"Help me, please? There's a stick digging into my back."  
  
She placed an arm just below his shoulders and the other along his waist and heaved upward. He breathed a sigh of relief and shook loam from his hair. "Phew! You sure know how to keep a man on his toes!"  
  
Kel blushed and let go of him quickly, but he pulled her back. "Well, this is nice," he said in a low voice, his face close to hers. It was a bit unnerving, made her heart beat faster. She should have tried to clean the cut again, but couldn't bring herself to do it. She lowered her eyes. "Sorry,"  
  
Dom slung an arm about her shoulders and leaned in. "It's all right, Kel. It was an accident." Then he frowned. "It was an accident, wasn't it?"  
  
Kel shoved him away with a crooked smile. "Of course it was! I'd never hit you in the face with a branch on purpose! Is that cut okay?"  
  
Dom moved his hand to touch it, but she stopped him. "Don't. You'll only get it infected." Taking a deep breath, she let go of his hand and took up the handkerchief again. "Turn your face toward me." He complied, and Kel started to clean the cut with a bit of water from her flask. There was a lot of grit in it from the branch.  
  
"There," she smiled, "all better!" He reached to touch it again, but Kel batted his hand away and frowned. "Now what did I tell you?"  
  
He made puppy dog eyes and stuck out his lower lip. "That I'll only make it worse."  
  
"Right," she said in a slightly less confident voice. Dom always knew how to unsettle her. "Can you stand?"  
  
He looked indignant. "Of course I can!" He struggled to his feet and lifted a foot experimentally.  
  
Kel chuckled and stood up beside him. "I guess that branch didn't hit you as hard as I thought."  
  
Dom snorted. "I've had worse."  
  
"Oh, right. I forgot," she blushed. Of course Dom had gotten hit harder than that in battle.  
  
He smiled roguishly, then the smile slipped. He stared thoughtfully down at his feet a bit. When he looked up, his eyelids fluttered and his chin rose gracefully. There was a sharp intake of breath, and then he fell heavily into Kel, letting out a small whimper.  
  
It never occurred to Kel that his swooning direction was unbelievably accurate, or that his fall was a little melodramatic. All she had time to do was hook her arms under his and make sure he didn't hurt himself. His eyes had closed and he was limp in her embrace.  
  
She dragged him over to the shade of the cherry tree and laid him down carefully. She cradled his head in her lap and slapped his cheeks gently; she didn't want to hurt him. After a while he slowly opened his eyes and whimpered again. "Uhh, ohh, wha.... what happened?"  
  
Kel sighed and wiped a bit of sweat from his brow with her kerchief. "I guess you weren't ready to stand up yet."  
  
Dom sighed and his eyes fell closed. "I feel so weak...." he said.  
  
This time Kel paused before answering. There was something fishy going on. "Just don't move. Rest up until you feel better."  
  
He gave a small nod, then went limp again. Kel's knees were getting cold on the ground, but she didn't want to shift lest she disturb Dom. She settled for shifting his head a little more comfortably on her lap.  
  
It was about a quarter of an hour before his eyes opened again. A whimper. He seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. "I think I feel a bit stronger now."  
  
Kel leaned down to him. "Can you sit up?"  
  
Dom looked sadly at her. "I'm not sure."  
  
"Here, let's try."  
  
After much heaving and gasping, Kel established that Dom needed more rest time.  
  
"I"m so sorry, Dom," Kel sighed. "Is there anything I can do to help?"  
  
Dom grinned up at her and puckered his lips.  
  
Kel flushed, then frowned. "Cheeky little bastard." That got a chuckle out of him.  
  
So, here he was, back in her lap. Kel sighed. He had plucked a grass stalk and was chewing on it, his hands resting behind his head. Dom seemed perfectly comfortable. Too comfortable, Kel thought suspiciously. She scolded herself for such a thought. Dom was seriously injured, and it was partly, if not all, her fault.  
  
They talked quietly together under the cherry tree for the better part of an hour. The sun grew hot and Kel took off her tunic, but Dom said he was fine. He was clearly enjoying himself, nestled comfortably in her lap. Kel gazed fondly down at him when she thought he wasn't looking. She enjoyed looking at him.  
  
Dom twirled a grass stalk between his fingers and tickled her neck with it. She let out an unrestrained giggle, making Dom laugh. His body vibrated against her. She felt the warm feeling work its way through her again.  
  
Once she'd wrested the stalk from his grasp, she rested her hands on his shoulders. "Do you think you could try to get up now?"  
  
Dom nodded. He got up into a sitting position easily, then took Kel's help to get to his feet. He swayed for a moment, holding her elbows, then steadied. He let go and swayed unsteadily.  
  
He tried to take a step forward, but his foot wavered and he toppled into Kel again. His head crashed into her chest and he gripped her hips for balance. Her own hands had flown to his shoulders, and now her heart was going a million miles a minute. She could feel Dom's quick breath against her breast through the thin linen of her shirt. Now Kel wished sorely that she'd kept her tunic on despite the heat. His eyelids drooping, Dom looked up from her chest. "Sorry.." he whispered. "I think I'd better sit down." His hands were hot and sweaty resting on her hips.  
  
He flopped down on the ground, bringing her down with him. She sat heavily. Yes, something was definitely wrong about this situation. She glanced over at Dom. His chest heaved and he dragged a hand across his brow. He could not possibly be in this condition by getting hit by one measly branch. It was impossible.  
  
Kel shuffled over, a scowl forming across her features. She stared down scrutinisingly at him. She thought she saw something flicker in his eyes before they went blurry again and he rubbed at them. "Kel, is... is that you?"  
  
That was the last straw. "Okay, sergeant, the jig is up! I'm on to you!"  
  
"Why, Kel....... whatever do you mean?"  
  
"You're faking it!"  
  
"Please.......... Don't speak so loud....... I can't..... understand you....... Everything is spinning..... spinning.........."  
  
Kel frowned, unable to believe how thick he was laying it on. "Dom, who do you think I am? Some kind of idiot?"  
  
Dom sighed. "Please. I need to get well, so as not to burden my dear, loving friend Keladry of Mindelan."  
  
Kel growled in disbelief, "Dom!"  
  
"Who is Dom? Oh, yes, it slipped my mind for a moment. I'm so sorry.... Can you imagine? forgetting my own name. I really should behave better after being viciously attacked by a flying branch."  
  
She punched him in the arm. "Dom!"  
  
"Oh! Pain! PAIN! Stars exploding before my eyes! I think I shall soon faint!"  
  
"DOM!"  
  
He rolled over, clapping his hands over his ears. "Ahhh! Such loud noises! They surround me! The walls are closing in! The children are screaming, SCREAMING! I can't take it! I CAN'T TAKE IT!"  
  
Kel waited him out, Yamani mask in place, cold and indifferent. Dom gradually stopped  
  
rolling around. He pulled leaves from his hair and propped himself up on his elbow, chewing on a grass stalk calmly. "Yes, Kel?"  
  
Kel's lips pursed and her eyes narrowed. Dom noticed her fists clenching and the sound of her teeth grinding. Uh-oh, he thought.  
  
She pounced on him, pummelling him with her fists and yelling curses. Dom did his best to try and fend her off, laughing the whole time. "I wasted a whole afternoon sick with worry, you scurvy toad! You lily-livered lard-bucket! That was the WORST, POSSIBLE, TRICK YOU COULD HAVE PLAYED ON ME! Domitan of Masbolle, you should be ashamed of yourself!"  
  
Dom loved it when she used his full name. It was nice to see her angry. She looked so cute. Still shaking with laughter, her didn't see her fist coming toward her jaw.  
  
WHAP!  
  
He paid dearly for his ignorance. He cried out, hands flying to his jaw. Kel covered her mouth and gasped. "Oh, Dom! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to really hurt you! I was just a little mad at you! Oh! I didn't break your jaw, did I? Oh, gods.... I'm so sorry!"  
  
Dom let go of his chin and tested his chops a couple times. Kel was hanging worriedly on his shoulder. It still hurt a little, but he wasn't permanently damaged. He gave Kel a grin. "Boy, you sure do have a knack for hitting poor unsuspecting sergeants in the face, don't you! I'll never walk alongside you without wearing a helmet ever again."  
  
Kel flushed. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Hey, don't worry about it. I heal quick."  
  
"But that gives you no excuse to play tricks on me, does it?" Her tone had become more stern.  
  
Dom grinned sheepishly. "Oh, er, right. Beautiful day, isn't it?"  
  
Kel raised her eyebrows. "You'll get away with it this time, sergeant, but that's only because I hit you in the face twice today. But next time I won't be so forgiving." Her expression softened. "Just don't play tricks on me again, huh?"  
  
Dom exhaled slowly, relieved. "Got it. No tricks." He sat up straight and brushed off some leaves. "You know, you did hit me pretty hard," he began. There was a hopeful quality to his voice. Kel gazed at him skeptically. "But, you know what would really make me feel better?" said Dom as he inched closer.  
  
"No, what?"  
  
Dom's nose touched Kel's. "A kiss from a Lady Knight."  
  
Kel smiled crookedly. "Really." Her hands were creeping around his waist, making him shiver a little. As his lips moved even closer to hers, his eyes fell closed, anticipating the moment.  
  
Kel grabbed the back off his tunic and yanked it over his head, then ran through the trees, calling back to the struggling Dom, "Race you to the bridge!" Dom, still stuck in his tunic, let out a muffled cry of frustration and fell over. Tugging his tunic back down, he crashed through the trees and leapt up on his dappled gray to speed off in the direction of her retreating laughter. Thwarted again. 


End file.
